At some point, most people encounter someone whose sense of style, fashion, or decor feels consistently off. At first, this is easy to dismiss as a matter of preference. Taste is subjective, we tell ourselves. But when poor taste recurs across different contexts, it raises a more unsettling question. What exactly is taste? How does good taste develop? Why do some people seem unable to acquire it? Good taste is often misunderstood as trend awareness or personal expression. In reality, it is something far more restrained and disciplined. Good taste is the ability to recognize proportion, coherence, and intention within a given context. It reflects an understanding of relationships between elements rather than attachment to any single element. People with good taste notice balance, scale, rhythm, and absence. They sense when something is excessive, distracts from its purpose, or draws attention to itself unnecessarily. Most importantly, they adapt their choices to context. What works in o...
Circumcision is a heated argument these days. The majority of Americans are still circumcised but very few Europeans are. Many myths and misplaced arguments float around the circumcision debate. I have researched the general stance of the major players in the debate. It seems that the opposition is most against circumcision in principle. They believe it is cruel to perform a cosmetic surgery on an infant. They acknowledge the benefits but state that the benefits do not justify the risk. According to most sites, almost no risk exist when the procedure is done to a new born. As more evidence is gathered for the STD phenomena, we may see world wide acceptance of circumcision. The majority of studies have suggested the risk of contracting STDs is cut in half. Some have suggested that the uncircumcised are 8.5 times more likely to contract an STD. Opponents are saying the same benefits can come from safe sex and education. The neutral stance of American Academy of Pediatrics has been challe...